'Most Corrupted Department'

Malaysiakini : Another senior immigration officer nabbed for corruption

Jul 12, 08 1:04pm

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has nabbed another senior Immigration Department officer to assist in their investigations into alleged graft involving the issuance of visas for foreign workers. MCPX The 54-year-old officer was brought to the court in Klang at 11.45am today and placed under five-day remand by Magistrate Zarifah Zainal Abidin. Also remanded was his 59-year-old brother-in-law for his suspected involvement as an intermediary in the scheme in Selangor. Bernama was told that the duo were picked up yesterday when the officer was at his office in Putrajaya at about 3pm while his brother-in-law in Negeri Sembilan. This comes hot on the heels after the arrest of Immigration Department director-general Wahid Don (left) and six others for similar offences. At a press conference yesterday, ACA investigations director Shukri Abdull said a director-general of government department, who is a Datuk, was detained last night at his house in Damansara. However, the Star has named the high ranking civil servant as Wahid. Meanwhile, the other six, include two businesspersons involved in the supply of foreign labour to local companies. Three of them carry Datuk titles. All seven are being investigated under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997. According to the daily, ACA officers seized approximately RM500,000 from all of them including more than RM100,000 found in Wahid’s Jalan Duta house. It reported that ACA officers had arrested Wahid at 10.30pm on Thursday, shortly after purportedly receiving some RM60,000 from a runner for a deal involving the issuance of work permits and extensions. “We are investigating them for alleged involvement in the issuance of work permits to foreign workers,” Shukri reportedly said. Prior to taking up his post at the department in October 2006, Wahid was the Registrar of Societies. The issuance of visas for foreign workers falls under the purview of the Immigration Department. The arrest is LONG OVERDUE as everyone know the IMMIGRATION DEPT is the most corrupted department for MANY years. However it's still Better Late than None! As a citizen, I HOPE the ACA will ACT on JPJ & PUSPACOM soonest possible for they are known to everyone is another 'Most Corrupted Department'